It's Not My Fault We're Together!
by toptsun
Summary: With Tomoko gone for a few days after being suspended, everyone's been slightly on edge. However, with the cornerstone of the social landscape gone, perhaps two people could change how they see each other... even if only a little bit... Rating because that's just how WataMote rolls.
1. Chapter 1: When She's Not There

It's Not My Fault We're Together!

Chapter 1: When She's Not There (You Are)

...

A/N: "Top_Tsun", you seven who're following my work (THANK YOU SO MUCH, by the way) say, "You have work to do on MTsDB! Why are you starting another multi-chapter fic!?" "Well," I answer, "I was reading the most recent chapter of WataMote, and-having found the dynamic between Nemo and Yuri interesting-couldn't resist writing about it."

"You dumbass," I hear you collectively murmur. Ah well. I'm living in the future I want, writing what I want, and it may seem selfish-mostly because it is-but I'm happy this way. So...

...

"Y-yuri-chan."

Yuri jolted to a halt, blood rushing to her cheeks as she found herself caught completely off-guard by this turn of events. She recognized that timid, uncertain voice, but she knew it was impossible. Kuroki was still in the counseling room, right? There's no way she could've gotten out or caught up with her, right? There was just no way...

These thoughts came to a grinding halt when she turned to find Hina, not Kuroki, standing behind her, a happy smile on the girl's face as she asked, "How was it? Do I sound like her?"

Yuri blinked, uncertain how to respond to this shock. It was rare for Hina to talk to her, but to hear what she had assumed was Kuroki actually calling out to her and seeing this girl instead...

After this intense deliberation, a simple "What?" was all the response Yuri gave.

Nimo, unfazed by Yuri's apparent indifference, answered, "I figured we could walk home together."

Yuri considered the suggestion, weighing her options as Hina continued to smile. While it WAS true that they weren't exactly friends-rivals, maybe, but that was about it-Yuri couldn't deny she had grown accustomed to having someone she could walk home with. Well, it wasn't like she had much better to do...

Finding no reason to reject the offer, Yuri answered with a simple nod.

...

Several minutes had passed in awkward silence, and Yuri was still trying to understand why Hina had suggested they walk home together. It wasn't like they were friends; they barely knew anything about each other despite spending so much time together, only interacting because they were both friends with Kuroki-

Ah, Kuroki. Without her, Yuri wouldn't have any sort of rivalry with Hina, would she? Then again, it's not like they would have been friends otherwise; Kuroki was the only reason they even met, let alone spoke to each other. At the end of the day, it was a kind of fluke they had ever encountered one another, a cosmic miscalculation, leaving the books unbalanced and the record unsatisfied, an unlooked-for answer to an unasked question, something that was both-

"Still, Kuro is a moron, getting suspended at a time like this." Hina said, cutting into her meandering thoughts.

Yuri blinked, unsure of what answer to give her before responding with a simple, "Yeah..."

Hina smiled before continuing, "I figured a week would go by in a flash, but it's pretty long, huh? Still two more days."

Yuri wasn't quite sure what to say. She had never considered Hina to be a friend, and found her feelings about the girl conflicted. Yet here Hina was, talking to her about Kuroki, choosing to be around her when she could just as easily be around one of her own friends. Well... Hina was probably only talking to her because she was a friend of Kuroki's as well, so she supposed it made sense.

Hina began to frown at Yuri's silence. "Huh?" She wondered. "You don't think so?"

Yuri blinked again, surprised at how determined Hina was to talk to her. She shrugged internally; when the subject was Kuroki, it made sense that Hina would doggedly try to keep up their conversation. Realizing that she was being sucked back into her internal dialogue, Yuri answered, "No, I thought the same thing."

Hina blinked, somewhat surprised that Yuri had responded as she said, "Oh, we think alike, Tamura-san." She smiled again, asking, "Do we have similar interests in Kuro?"

Yuri couldn't help but wonder what 'interests' Hina was referring to. Electing to mostly disregard the comment, she still answered, "It was just coincidence..."

Hina hummed happily, saying, "Really? 'Cause normally, with everything coming to a head like this, it would seem like everything is rushing straight to the end." Her eyes sparkled just slightly as she concluded, "But since Kuro's not here, everyone-us especially-has been kinda... off."

Yuri cast a sideways glance at the girl, eyes narrowed in suspicion as she asked, "How do you know whether or not I've been off...?"

Giggling slightly, Hina clasped her hands in supplication as she said, "Ah, caught red-handed! I guess I just sorta noticed how often you hung around Kuro, and that made me wonder what sort of person you were. So, I watched you just a little bit." Her grin broadened as she declared, "I'm pretty good at reading people, actually!"

Yuri sighed, saying, "I'm not sure I want you to be doing that."

Hina leaned closer to her, her grin turning mischievous as she asked, "But are you sure you don't want me doing that?"

"You're insufferable, aren't you?" Yuri deadpanned.

However, she couldn't help grinning just a little as she walked away. Maybe hanging out with Hina wouldn't be that bad. Just a little bit, anyway.

...

"...And then," Hina continued, "they just sat and looked at each other for, like, five whole seconds! It was SUUUPER awkward! Man, I can't believe they would show something like that on TV!"

Yuri chuckled in spite of herself. She had always known that Hina wasn't a bad person _per se_, but she didn't seem like a great one to hang out with. It was surprising to see this side of her, to say the least. "Well, you know they record those programs live," she said, "so it's not like they can screen them for content first, right...?"

Hina shrugged. "Yeah, probably not. I just can't believe that things went THAT badly! I mean, someone had to figure that might happen, right!?" She paused, glancing up to see that they had arrived at the station.

"Ah, well," She said, shrugging. "Looks like this is the part where we split up. See ya, Tamura-san!" Hina waved to Yuri before turning to walk away, but stopped when she realized that the other girl had caught hold of her sleeve.

"Wait a second," Yuri said, "I wanted to ask you for something."

Hina smiled, saying, "Sure! But isn't your train gonna get here soon? You don't want to miss it!"

Yuri released her sleeve, fidgeting in place indecisively before she finally said, "Could you... please..." before mumbling the rest incomprehensibly.

Hina tilted her head, saying, "Hm? What was that last part, Tamura-san?"

Yuri paused for a deep breath before repeating, "I wanted you to... that is, could you please..." she paused for a smaller breath, before asking in a very small voice, "...do the Kuroki thing again..."

Hina scrunched up her face in confusion before realization dawned upon her. "Oh!" She said. "You mean the impersonation?" Yuri merely answered with a small nod, her normally cold, unreadable expression taking on just a slightly pinker hue. Hina smiled at this display. _She's kinda cute that way..._ she thought to herself.

"...Yes." Yuri eventually answered.

Hina smiled again, hugging herself tightly and seeming to close up as she got into character. Finally, slouching just slightly, she said in a high, soft voice very much like what they knew Kuroki to have, "H-have a nice d-day, Yuri-ch-chan..."

Yuri returned Hina's smile as she turned to get ready for the train. Then, as quietly as Hina's impersonation, the introvert said, "Thank you."

Hina smiled, waving once more as she turned to leave. Today was a good day.

***Chapter 1: Good End***

A/N: Ah! That was refreshing! Y'know, originally I was thinking about just making this a one-shot but... well, I didn't really feel like it was substantial or original enough to justify that, so I figured I might as well write a multi-chap on this one. Then, I thought maybe I would write this first chapter a bit longer-see where it went, y'know? However, I decided against that in the end; I figured it would be best if I wrote this as long as I felt was right, and go with that. Since this isn't my main focus (right now, anyway), this will likely be updating once every week or two on Wednesdays. I might miss an update (ONLY if I'm at an unimportant junction, mind you; I'm not going to blueball you guys in the middle of the climax, y'kn-okay, maybe I've been reading too much WataMote, seeing how naturally the euphemism came out-...Damn It. Also this parenthetical set has continued for a while, huh?), but I'll try to be fairly consistent if my schedule allows for it.

...Yay, adult problems.


	2. Chapter 2: I'm Going to Smile

It's Not My Fault We're Together!

Chapter 2: I'm Going to Smile (If You Help)

...

A/N: Welp, Chapter 2 Boys! Maybe I shouldn't have written this until the next chapter of WataMote came out, but if I did the sensible, logical thing, I would have written a short, nondescript, mostly flavorless piece for a literature magazine instead and slowly used the credibility from that to start a small but consistent revenue stream from writing on the side.

And fnon-age-appropriate word that.

...

Yuri writhed in bed, occasional murmurs of "Yuri-chan" in her dreams holding her in a restless limbo between waking and sleeping. She knew it mattered to her that Tomoko's voice had said it, but... for some reason, in each dream, Hina would always be the person saying it. In each half-forgotten fantasy, Hina would be the one she was having coffee with, Hina would be at the library with her, Hina would be the one she was lost in the mall with, Hina was...

Shaking her head to clear away the uninvited thoughts, Yuri rose unsteadily from her bed and began to perform her morning rituals. She had already begun brushing her hair by the time she finally thought to check her phone, and, doing so, she was surprised to find that she already had a few notifications. Her surprise only increased when she opened her phone and found that the notifications were messages from Hina.

Yuri paused, trying to remember when she had given her contact info to the girl. While she vaguely remembered passing it out as a part of the whole "amusement park" thing a while back, she never thought anyone would actually try to use it. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea, after all.

Ignoring her underlying pessimism as best she could, Yuri opened the message and read,

HINA: Good morning, Yuri-chan! 3

Yuri frowned, uncertain of Hina's motives. Why go through the bother of messaging someone you barely spend time with? She just didn't get what Hina was up to. However, sitting around and doing nothing wasn't going to get her anywhere, so, steeling herself against the high chance this would be irritating, Yuri responded,

YURI: What do you want?

She only had to wait a few minutes before receiving her response.

HINA: Uwah! So cold! _

HINA: I just wanted to say good morning, is all...

HINA: And

HINA: Well, walking to school alone is pretty boring, so I figured maybe we could meet up at the train station and walk together...? PLEEEEEEASE?

Yuri frowned. Following this conversation would be bothersome, after all.

YURI: I don't need your pity, you know.

HINA: I wasn't asking because I pitied you

HINA: I was asking because I WANTED to

HINA: It'll be fun! C'mon, say yes!

YURI: I'll think about it.

HINA: That wasn't a no~! ;)

Yuri sighed, pocketing her phone as she left for the train station. Really, Hina could be impossible when she felt like it, and Yuri wasn't even sure if she wanted to walk to school alongside the girl. So why did she feel so excited?

...

Stepping off the train, Yuri found, expectantly waiting for her... absolutely no one. She sighed, unsurprised but still disappointed. Honestly, she wasn't sure what she was expecting; she didn't consider Hina unreliable, but that didn't mean she was expecting much out of the girl. It's not like Hina could be held responsible for skipping out on the meeting-after all, only friends really hung out like that-but Yuri couldn't help feeling hurt anyway. Shrugging, she decided to forget it. After all, it wasn't that importa-

"G-good mor-morning, Yu-yuri-chan."

Yuri jolted as she felt arms wrap around her, and felt the weight of someone's head on her shoulder. Glancing out of the corner of her eye, Yuri was surprised to find that Hina had, in fact, made an appearance... and was just slightly closer than might be considered 'okay'.

"What are you doing!?" Yuri blurted in suprise. "And get off of me! What's with this!?"

The pink-haired girl's face split into a bright smile before she stuck her tongue out at the introvert, saying, "I just wanted to catch you by surprise, y'know? I figured it would be the best way to figure out who you were! Plus, I wanted to know if I was getting any better. So, what'd you think?"

Yuri sighed, answering, "I think you're way too noisy. It's early, so could you tone it down a bit?" She paused, adding, "Honestly, it's things like this that remind me why you're friends with Kuroki; you don't have to push yourself to be so friendly with me."

Hina shrugged in response, saying, "Well, it's not pushing myself if I WANT to, right? After all, there's nothing keeping us from being friends! We sit right next to each other, so we should get along!"

After a moment of silence that quickly became uncomfortably long, Yuri said, "...let's just get going."

...

"Hey, Tamura-san," Hina began, "we should eat lunch together!"

Yuri cocked a brow at this suggestion. "Don't you have those other friends to eat with?"

Hina nodded, saying, "Yeah, but today, I want to eat with you! I can eat with those guys any day, but I can't eat alone with you almost ever!"

Yuri considered this before finally answering, "Well... Mako'll probably end up eating with Minami, and since Kuroki's not here... I guess it's fine."

Hina smiled, rushing into the shoe locker as they arrived at school as she said, "Yay! See you in class, Tamura-san!"

Shrugging, Yuri followed Hina into the building and began to look for Mako. She might as well tell the girl about the lunch plans she had with Hin-

Wait a second, when did this morph into eating alone together!?

...

For some reason, Yuri found herself unable to focus all morning. Although her friends and classmates noticed this above-average distraction on Yuri's part, anyone who knew her well enough to care assumed it was because Kuroki was still suspended. This was not entirely true, however; while she was still upset by the strange girl's absense, what was truly gnawing at the edges of her thoughts was her upcoming meeting with Hina. Even though they sat beside one another in every class anyway, it still felt unusual, as though she was doing something new and exciting.

Yuri drifted through her classes, unsure of why she was so unfocused. She had eaten lunch with Hina before, and while there were always other people around, that didn't mean anything would be different. They were just two people, who knew each other, eating a meal together. Alone. Nothing deeper than that. It was a simple, inoffensive, standard course of-

"Tamura-san!"

Yuri blinked, realizing that she had been caught in a reverie in the middle of class. She started to blush, realizing that the teacher had noticed her lack of attentiveness and was now motioning for her to stand up. She glanced to the side, realizing that Hina had been tugging on her sleeve and was likely the one who called out to her.

Glaring at the young girl, Yuri's teacher said, "if you find yourself so distracted, perhaps you should remain standing until you find yourself more attentive." Yuri's blush deepened as her classmates began to chuckle and giggle at her misfortune... all except for her friends, of course. And...

Hina wasn't laughing; she wasn't even smiling. She simply glanced down, occasionally shooting Yuri an apologetic look as if to say, 'sorry, I should have nudged you before the teacher noticed.' Yuri merely shook her head, quietly motioning to Hina that it was alright.

...Well, at least now they would have something to talk about. Yuri suppressed a sigh; lunch couldn't come quickly enough.

***Chapter 2: Good End***

A/N: Well hot damage, this story blew up WAY faster than I was expecting it to! I'm sorry if this isn't very good; I actually suck at writing and plotting and shit, and can only cover it up in MTsDB because I'm only rewriting established plots. Plus, I have a better read on the characters in that than those in WataMote. Damn, I reread all the chapters with these guys in it and I STILL have barely an idea how to write with them! Ah well, I'm sure I'll figure it out... and if I don't, well, sorry everyone. Ah, well.


	3. Chapter 3: I'm Not Alone

It's Not My Fault We're Together!

Chapter 3: I'm Not Alone (When I'm With You)

The sounds of scraping chairs filled the room as the bell rang for lunch to begin. Stretching slightly as she gathered her things, Yuri turned to the pink-headed girl next to her and asked, "So, where did you want to eat, Hina?"

Hina smiled as she replied, "I don't care, really, but... Well, the courtyard's gonna seem kinda quiet without Yoshida there. How about we liven it up a bit?"

Tilting her head, Yuri considered this suggestion. While it would be quiet and relaxing, it was rather out of the way... on the other hand, without Kuroki around to draw everyone there or, as Hina pointed out, without Yoshida to fill it, the courtyard would be deserted. No one would be there but Hina and herself.

All alone with Hina. All alone...

Yuri silently shook away... whatever these thoughts were, giving her classmate a small nod. There shouldn't be anything awkward about being alone with Hina, so why did she feel-

Smiling, Hina cut into Yuri's thoughts as she answered, "Alright! Let's get going!" She gave Yuri a small wink as she added, "I'm really glad you decided to have lunch with me, Tamura-san!"

Yuri shrugged, struggling to hide the color slowly rising to her cheeks as she answered, "It's not like I had anything better to do."

...

"I'm sooooo sorry!" Hina said as she clasped her hands together, shame and embarrassment poorly hidden behind her smile.

Yuri waved it off, saying, "Well, I was the one who zoned out in the middle of class. I pretty much got what I deserved. So anyway, what'd you bring for lunch?"

Hina sighed, glad for the change of topic as she responded, "I have some rice and Tamagoyaki! How about you?"

Opening her bento, Yuri answered, "Just some rice and fried chicken. Nothing that great."

With a sly smile, Hina said, "If you brought it, I'm sure it's good! Do you mind if I try some?"

Shrugging, Yuri replied, "Yeah, sure. Just a bit, though; I don't have much." Then, picking up a smaller piece of the chicken with her chopsticks, she held it out to Hina.

Leaning forward and brushing a bit of hair out of her face, Hina took a healthy bite out of the offering. Her smile widened as Yuri tried and failed to hide the flustered blush rising to her cheeks at the rather provocative action. "Something wrong, Yuri?" She asked.

Yuri merely shook her head as she glanced away, saying, "N-nothing." She paused as if to continue, before she instead said, "Anyway, since you took some of mine, it's only fair if I get some of yours, r-right?"

Nodding in agreement, Hina offered a bit of her lunch to Yuri, who accepted with slightly less aplomb.

"How was it?" She asked, receiving a small nod and a simple "good." from Yuri.

Accepting the compliment with a smile, Hina turned to her food and the pair began their lunch. Not content to merely lounge about in silence, however, the pink haired girl eventually turned to Yuri and asked, "So, what do you do for fun, Tamura-san?"

Cocking your eyebrow, the introvert in question asked, "Where did this come from?"

Hina shrugged as she answered, "It's like I said before, y'know? I don't really know you, so I'm trying to figure out who you are at least a bit more."

Yuri considered this for a moment, before finally answering, "Well, wouldn't it be normal to say what you like first?"

Humming as she thought about this, Hina eventually replied, "Yeah, I guess you're right. So, erm..." Pausing for a moment to collect herself, she said, "It's kinda embarrassing, but I really like to watch anime and read manga, especially the slice-of-life stuff where everyone's just happy, without any of those crazy, awful plot twists wrecking everything." Noticing Yuri's unreadable expression, Hina asked the girl, "Is that weird?"

After a moment of silence, Hina was beginning to think Yuri had ignored her. Thus, it was a surprise when the introvert finally answered, "No, not really. I just never really thought about what you would like, and for some reason I'm not surprised even though I feel like I should be, I guess." Shrugging, she added, "It makes sense, though; you are a friend of Kuroki's, after all."

After Yuri had said this, however, Hina began to pout, and she wondered if she had done something wrong. "Um..." Yuri began, shifting uncomfortably in place, "Is something... wrong?"

Shaking her head, Hina answered, "Ah, no, it's just... whenever we talk, it always goes back to Kuro, and right now, I wanna know about you. And I guess I want you to be curious about me, even if it's only a little bit, so I got kinda mad when you brought her up again." Shaking her head, she continued, "Anyway, it's not fair to ask me what I like and then move on without telling me what you're into, y'know? So, what do you like, Tamura-san?"

Blinking, Yuri considered Hina's point. She knew that the pink-haired girl had been trying to get closer to her, but it hadn't occurred to Yuri how hard Hina had actually been trying. She supposed it made sense that after all this talk about Kuroki she'd get mad, but without that, she really wasn't sure how to act around Hina.

Well, no time like the present.

"I like reading, I guess." She began awkwardly. "And... well, I like darts too." Avoiding Hina's gaze, she finished, "Plus, I think puzzles are fun."

Glancing up, she noted that Hina had begun to smile again. "Really?" She asked. "What kind of books do you like?"

Yuri relaxed at this. For some reason, there was something in Hina's happy smile she found... deeply relieving. She couldn't put her finger on what it was, though.

...

Sitting in her next class, Yuri reflected on her lunch with Hina. Glancing out the corner of her eye at the girl humming quietly next to her as their teacher droned on about something or other-history? literature? she couldn't bother to remember-, she began to wonder how the girl truly felt about her.

She and Hina had been rivals since they properly met, all because of their mutual affection for Kuroki. Yet... why did they have to be rivals? It was like Hina said: they could be together without Kuroki. They could be together alone.

Now she just had to figure out what that meant.

***Chapter 3: Good End***

A/N: I'm soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooory for missing last week's update! I don't want to make excuses, but a lot of shit happened and it was just too much. I'll try not to miss-I almost missed this week, and only got a short one out instead-but I'm sorry for the date I already have, everyone!


	4. Chapter 4: I'll Stay With You

It's Not My Fault We're Together!

Chapter 4: I'll Stay With You (As Long as You'll Let Me)

With the ringing of the bell, the day came to a close and Yuri rose to go home. Stretching slightly from the stiff seats of the class, she turned at the sound of scraping from the chair next to hers.

"See ya, Tamura-san!" Hina said, a bright smile on her face. "It was fun to eat lunch with you; let's do it again some time!"

With a blink and a nod, Yuri answered, "Uh... yeah, nice day, Hina."

For half a moment Hina wavered as if waiting for something before shaking her head and walking off with a wave.

Unsure of what to make of this strange little behavior, Yuri began gathering her things she heard someone calling to her. Turning once again, she saw Mako approaching her with a smile.

"Oh, hey, Mako." With a frown, Yuri said, "Sorry I didn't meet you for lunch today."

Waving away her words, Mako answered, "No, it's alright! I ate with Minami; we can just eat together tomorrow."

Considering this proposition, Yuri answered with a small nod before turning to her things, asking, "So... do you want to go home together?"

"Sure!"

...

"So, how did lunch with Hina go?"

Yuri blinked and, shook out of her reverie as she was by Mako's question, only managed to stammer out, "H-huh?"

"Well," Mako began, "you seemed quieter than usual, like you were thinking about something. I just though it might have something to do with your lunch with Hina."

Considering her friend's question, Yuri eventually began, "Yeah, I guess you're right. It went pretty well, though, even if we didn't talk about much."

Mako seemed to consider something for a moment, opening her mouth only to close it a moment later with a shake of her head. Confused by the girl's behavior, Yuri cocked an eyebrow and asked, "What's wrong, Mako?"

Shrugging, Mako answered, "Even considering that, you still seem a bit... melancholy. Like you're missing something."

Surprised at this observation, Yuri began to protest but quickly realized that Mako was entirely right. She did feel... off. She wasn't sure how to put it, certain only that she felt sort of... empty. "Yeah," she began, "You're right."

Pausing to think, Mako eventually rose a finger as she suggested, "Maybe you're sad because Kuroki's still in suspension?"

Considering this, Yuri eventually shook her head, answering, "No.. that's not it." For some reason, the suggestion bothered her. Why did everything have to hinge on Kuroki, anyway? They were all friends, but... sometimes it felt like, without the strange midget, she would be left alone.

"Well then," Mako said, cutting into the unhelpful thoughts jumbling around in Yuri's head, "What if you're sad because you wanted Hina to walk you home?"

This suggestion actually got Yuri to jump. She hadn't even considered it-perhaps because she didn't want to-but, really, it made sense. She wasn't sure why, but over the last day or so, she had grown... attached, perhaps? to Hina. She wanted to walk home with the girl again, and spend even a little bit more time with her if she could.

Stifling a small giggle, Mako said, "I guess that's a yes, isn't it?" Pausing to gaze at the sky, she added, "I'm a bit jealous, but I can't always be your only friend, can I?" Turning once more to Yuri, she finished, "I'm happy for you, Yuri; you're a better person than you think, and you deserve to have friends. Lots of them."

Unsure of how to respond, Yuri merely nodded, and the rest of the trip passed in silence.

...

As she lay on her bed, Yuri considered Mako's words. She hadn't thought much about the value she placed upon her friendship with Hina; they were friends, yes, but what did that mean?

For one, that meant they spoke to each other on a sort-of-regular basis. They were polite and friendly, and made some sort of effort to understand each other. They weren't strangers.

For another, they liked each other-to a point, at least. For now, the fights about Kuroki kept a certain distance between them, but otherwise, they had an interest in each other. They approved of one another's company.

But... Mako was wrong. She didn't really deserve to have friends; Yuri knew she was petty, aloof, irritable, selfish... the list of traits she disliked about herself went on and on. No matter what, she would have to overcome those qualities and honestly? She wasn't sure she could.

Of course, sitting around and moping wouldn't change much at all. It certainly wouldn't help; if she was going to be better friends with Hina, she had to take the first step.

She might not really have a reason to do that, but she knew she wanted to. As she contemplated this, her eyes drifted towards her phone...

...

Sitting at her desk, Hina hummed cheerfully along with the music streaming into her earbuds as she worked through the day's homework. Hearing a sudden ding announcing a notification from line, she turned from her work to check what had come through.

She found herself both happy and surprised to discover that the alert had come from Yuri. Quickly flicking through her phone, she opened the message.

YURI: Hey

With a smile, she began to text back in earnest.

HINA: Hi, Yuri!

HINA: Whatcha Need?

YURI: Nothing

HINA: Oh

HINA: So what're you doing?

YURI: Nothing, just some homework

HINA: Hey, me too! Actually, I was having some trouble with the math homework. Are you any good at math?

YURI: ...

YURI: Sort of

HINA: Hooray! You can help me then!

YURI: Really?

HINA: Yep!

Homework forgotten, Hina began to text back and forth with Yuri.

...

Yawning, Yuri turned to the clock and jolted in surprise as she realized that it was already 9 o'clock. Though she had been messaging Hina on and off for most of the time, it still had snuck up upon her unexpectedly... and she had yet to ask the question she had intended. With a few deep breaths to calm her nerves, she sent Hina yet another message.

YURI: Hey, would you want to walk home together tomorrow?

Stretching out onto her bed, Yuri considered what she had sent and what could happen now.

A few minutes later, a small ding alerted her to Hina's response. Releasing a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, Yuri hesitated for half a moment before picking up her phone.

HINA: Yeah, sure!

A smile split across her face and Yuri relaxed, glad she had received the answer she was hoping for. As she began to type a response, however, another message came across, and she paused to read it.

HINA: I'm soooo sorry! Did you want to walk home together today? △

With a small chuckle to herself, Yuri simply answered back,

YURI: Nah, it's fine, see you tomorrow

HINA: Well, okay...

HINA: See ya!

Placing her phone by her bedside, Yuri drifted off with a smile on her face. Just as she was about to enter dreamland, however, another ding came from her phone. Picking it up curiously, she found that Hina had sent one final message.

HINA: I wanted to walk home with you, too

Clutching her phone to her chest, Yuri returned once more to sleep, a serene expression on her face.

***Chapter 4: Good End***


	5. Chapter 5: Please Don't Leave

It's Not My Fault We're Together!

Chapter 5: Please Don't Leave (Because I Need You)

Yuri yawned as she disembarked the train, sleep still clogging her brain and leaving everything a fuzzy sea of vague, blurry colors. As she began to leave the station, however, she felt now-familiar arms wrap around her shoulders as a high-pitched, unsure voice enthused, "M-morning, Yuri-chan!"

Sighing, Yuri pried Hina's arms off of her, saying, "Is this going to be how you say hi every day now? That imitation and the hyper-touchiness?"

Sticking her tongue out at the serious girl, Hina said, "Aw, but it's fun! Plus, you'd never let me call you 'Yuri-chan' without the Kuroki imitation! And," pausing for a wry grin, she finished, "there's the part where you like it!"

Yuri turned away, just enough to hide the fact that she was blushing a tiny bit as she replied, "Well, you shouldn't get into people's faces so much. If that's all it takes to avoid being harassed every time I try to go to school, I'll happily accept being called my first name."

Hina's face fell as she hummed in disappointment.

"...including the '-chan'." Yuri muttered, distressed more than she could admit to herself at Hina's crestfallen expression.

"Yay!" The energetic girl cried, throwing her arms towards the heavens and skipping a tiny bit at Yuri's concession. "Yuri-chan is the best! And she helps me whenever I need it! Even with math homework!"

Cocking her brow at this, Yuri said, "'Helping you'? The second I tried to give you a hand with it, you just dodged the assignment and tried to pull me down whatever tangent you could to avoid doing it. I'm amazed you got it done at all... you certainly forgot about it when I tried helping."

Smiling, Hina answered, "That's because I got my math homework done before I even asked!"

Yuri blinked. She turned. She began to walk away.

"Hey! Yuri-chan! Wait up!" Hina called out, turning to catch up with the quickly retreating girl.

Sparing a glance over her shoulder, Yuri said, "If you already had it done, why did you tell me you didn't?"

Playfully knocking herself on the head, Hina answered, "Because I wanted to have an excuse to keep talking with you, of course!"

Yuri's eyes grew wide before she quickly glanced away.

"...plus, if I didn't say that, you'd have made me do the rest of it!"

A flock of birds resting on a nearby power-line took off, startled by the resounding _smack _of Yuri's facepalm.

...

"...but seriously though, I DID get most of it done! I just have one or two little things left, and then I'm good! Definitely!" Hina concluded with a confident grin.

Sighing, Yuri answered, "Sure, Nemoto-san, you DEFINITELY remembered the English Homework we had last night."

Yuri paused, the tiniest bit of a smirk on her face as she awaited an answer; perhaps a flustered cry as the pink-haired girl realized she had forgotten her homework, or maybe a snarky remark about how she knew there wasn't any in that subject?

What she WASN'T expecting was an irritated *huff*-concerning, as that is exactly the response she received.

Glancing at Hina, Yuri was surprised to find the normally up-beat girl glaring at the concrete as though the act would burn a hole into it. Confused at this behavior, Yuri couldn't help but ask, "Hey... something up...?"

Turning away from the introvert, Hina answered, "Oh... it's nothing. Don't worry about it." Glancing up and noticing they had reached their destination, she continued, "Ah, we're here. See you later, Tamura-san." Before Yuri could ask any more questions, Hina had stormed away, marching stiffly towards the school.

Stunned and frozen to the spot, Yuri could do nothing but mutter, "What was that about...?"

...

"What's wrong?"

Yuri lifted her head from her desk with agonizing sluggishness to see Mako hovering next to her, concern drawn in vivid colors across her face. Trying to concoct an adequate, nonchalant response, Yuri dawdled for a long moment before finally answering, "It's nothing."

With a skeptical frown, Mako replied, "Well... It sort of looks like something. You've had your head down on your desk since you walked in. I didn't want to bother you, but I don't think I could have really paid much attention during class if I didn't make sure you were alright first."

Sighing, Yuri considered Mako's position. The kind girl was right, as usual; the introvert knew something was off, and it didn't surprise Yuri in the least that Mako, being the good friend that she was, had picked up on it. However, Yuri also suspected they didn't have enough time to really explain situation just then.

Lowering her chin onto her desk, Yuri answered, "I'll explain at lunch."

Tilting her head in concern, Mako asked, "You aren't eating with Hina?"

Yuri glanced across the room to where Hina was happily chatting away with her friends as though nothing was wrong. Soon, however, Hina glanced back and jumped just slightly in surprise as their gazes met. For a moment, she shifted as though she was going to say something before she broke off the eye contact and her expression morphed into something incredibly sad. Then her expression changed to one of anger, before finally returning to its neutral happy state as though nothing at all were wrong. Just as quickly as it came, the moment passed, and Hina was chatting with the rest as though nothing had happened at all.

Unsure of what to make of all this, Yuri answered Mako's question with a simple "No."

Mako said nothing for a moment before offering a quiet "Well, if you're sure..." before trailing off, drifting towards her seat.

Just as the bell was about to ring, Hina glanced at the clock and quickly said goodbye to the rest of her friends before strutting over to her seat. However, before Yuri could begin to ask the pink-haired girl a question or somehow engage her in any other way, Hina had already shifted in her seat to look rather pointedly in the opposite direction. Sighing, Yuri considered that it was probably for the best she hadn't invited the extrovert to lunch.

...

"...and then she got mad and started ignoring me. She did it all morning." Yuri concluded, lightly resting her cheek in her palm. "What do you think?"

Pausing to collect her thoughts, Mako eventually answered, "...Sorry, Yuri, but... it's kind of easy to understand why she got mad."

Cocking her eyebrow in confusion, all Yuri could manage in response was a confused, "Huh?"

Shifting slightly in her seat as she searched for an example, Mako began, "Well, what if, say, I..." stopping short, the kind girl lifted her index finger before saying, "Ah, I know! Do you remember that time when you tried calling Kuroki-san by her first name?"

Cringing slightly at the painful recollection, Yuri answered, "Yes, I do remember that. Did you really have to bring it up?"

"See!" Mako declared. "It's exactly like that!"

"...I don't follow." Yuri said.

"Well," Mako began, "You felt hurt when she didn't respond the way you wanted to, right?"

Yuri nodded.

With a smile, Mako continued, "Because you called Hina by her last name when she was getting comfortable around you, she felt like you were pushing her away!" Nodding slightly, she concluded, "Hina felt hurt, so she pushed back!"

Yuri's eyes widened ever so slightly as the connections formed in her head and she muttered, "Oh..." Sighing, she complained, "Why are friendships so irritating to deal with?"

With a smile, Mako answered, "Because important things always are!" Considering the situation for a moment, the freckled girl said, "You should talk with Hina about this when you walk home together! I'm sure you two can fix it if you try!"

Considering Mako's suggestion, Yuri eventually answered with a nod before saying, "Yeah... I think I will." Shaking her head, she amended, "I know I will."

***Chapter 5: Good End***

A/N: You know, coming up with a name for this chapter was surprisingly hard! I don't know what it was exactly, but it was a real head-scratcher! Eh, it needed a name, so I might as well accept that I can't _always_ have an easy time of it. If anyone's curious, I was originally going to call this chapter "I Need You Know (Because I Want to Now You)". Maybe I'll use that at some point...?

Yeah, maybe. Anyway, shoop-de-woo and Love Me Do, see you fine folk who read this story next week!


	6. Chapter 6: It's Something More

It's Not My Fault We're Together!

Chapter 6: It's Something More (So I Guess It Hurts)

"Uh... Hina?"

Hina blinked, realizing she had spaced out in the middle of the hallway. "Oh... Sorry, A-chan. I was just... thinking about something. What were you saying?"

Furrowing her brow in concern, Akane began to ask what was wrong but stopped short, thinking better of it. Instead, she said, "I wanted to see where you thought we should eat. I was thinking we should go to the cafeteria, but I was checking to make sure that was okay with you..."

Considering the suggestion, Hina offered a bright smile said, "Yeah, that sounds good. Let's go!"

Offering a small smile in return, Akane soon fell into pensive silence as she watched Hina lead them to the cafeteria. Something seemed off today with her friend but she wasn't sure what.

"Hey, Hina..." She began.

Pausing, the pink-haired girl turned to her friend with her smile still in place. "Yeah?"

Fidgeting in place for a moment, Akane took a deep breath before asking, "Is something wrong?"

Slowing to a halt, Hina's face shifted to one of confusion and she said, "Huh?

"Well," Akane began uncertainly, "It's probably nothing, but you've been... distracted today, I guess. You keep on losing focus with this really sad look on your face, and then you start glancing around like you're looking for someone. What's wrong?"

After a long moment of silence, Hina's smile returned. However, this smile was smaller and sadder. "Yeah," she said, "You're right. Something did happen."

"What?"

...

"...So I've been avoiding her since this morning." Hina concluded.

Akane nodded, considering the retelling of the morning's events her friend had given her. "Yeah," she eventually said, "I can see how someone could get mad. But..." the blonde trailed off, unsure of how to proceed.

"But?" Hina answered, unwilling to let her friend fully abandon her statement.

With a sigh, Akane continued, "...but I don't see how _you_ got mad. I mean... you hang out with _Kuroki_, of all people! I don't get why this would mess with you so much."

Blinking in surprise, Hina considered this. Akane was right, of course; Hina knew that things like this wouldn't normally get to her, but when it came from Yuri...

...she wasn't sure why, but it made her feel a bit sick.

"Yeah, you're right." Hina said. "It shouldn't get to me, and it wouldn't get to me, but..." With a shrug, she finished, "It gets to me when Yuri does it."

Cocking her eyebrow in response, Akane asked, "Why is that?"

Hina thought about the past several days and about the time she had spent with Yuri. Maybe it was because the girl was honestly a good-albeit strange-person. Maybe it was because of her straightforward, even _blunt_, way of speaking. Maybe it was because of the fun they had when they engaged in their petty little diatribes over Tomoko. Or maybe it was because every once in a while, Yuri would let her guard down for just a moment, and in that moment... In that moment, she was kind, and insecure, and sentimental, and...

Hina began to blush.

...and _cute_.

Finally, she answered, "I'm not really sure. It's just different when she does it."

Akane shrugged, deciding this was the best answer she was going to get.

...

Yuri glanced up as the final bell rang for the day, putting away her things and walking over to Mako's desk before asking, "Are you ready to go?"

Glancing up from her own packing, Yuri answered with a nod. "The library, right?"

"Yep." Yuri said, beginning to steal small glances around the room. She knew that Hina had already left the class, but some part of her didn't want to acknowledge it. She hadn't been able to find a good opportunity to apologize to the girl throughout the day and, unless she happened across Hina in the library, Yuri doubted she would have a clear-cut chance to do so before the weekend came. That thought formed a black, sinking pit in her stomach.

...

"It seems the time to go meet Kuroki-san has come... are you ready to go, Yuri?" Mako said with a smile.

Yuri started, having been looking around the library to see if Hina was there. Even though she determined almost immediately the pink haired girl was nowhere to be found, she couldn't stop herself from incessantly rechecking.

Frowning, Mako said, "That's not healthy, you know."

Cocking in eyebrow in confusion, Yuri uttered, "Huh?"

"It's good to see you care about someone," Mako began, "especially since you always try to stay distant from others. It's nice to see that someone can break through that cold filter you've built, and as long as she can do that, she has a chance to make you happy. However..." Mako sighed before continuing, "while I understand your concern, and I will always appreciate it when you care about someone, it's still true that, if you think only about them, you'll forget yourself. I don't want you to do that, Yuri, because it's unhealthy to forget about yourself. I want you to care for Hina, and me, and Kuroki-san... but I don't want that to cost you yourself." Mako smiled, concluding, "Because you're really important, Yuri, even when you don't notice. You're important to me and you're important to Hina. So if you focus on yourself, and care for yourself, then I'm sure everything will work out okay with Hina. Okay?"

Yuri was surprised at Mako's words, pausing to consider them and their implications. She was right, Yuri DID care about Hina, but... she was still her own person, and she had to care for herself. She had to keep focus on herself, and talk to Hina when she could; until then, worrying about it was useless.

Nodding, Yuri replied, "You're right, Mako... let's go meet Kuroki."

...

"Ah! Tamura-san and Mako-san!"

Yuri and Mako turned to see Hina waving at them as she, Akane, and Asuka approached them. For a moment, Yuri considered springing her apology on Hina, but quickly banished the idea; right now, they were here for Tomoko.

"You guys weren't in the study room." Hina continued. "Where'd you go?"

Yuri remained silent, uncertain of how to respond to Hina. Luckily, Mako noticed Yuri's hesitation and said, "We studied in the library today." Yuri breathed a sigh of relief; she would have to thank Mako later.

"We can see the entrance from here, so if we wait, Kuro will come." Hina said. "Maybe I should text her just in case."

As the girl produced her phone, however, Asuka cut in, saying, "Already done."

For a moment Hina seemed disgruntled. However, instead of retaliating she calmly said, "Ah... I see." Then, perking up for a moment, she said, "A-chan can text Yoshida-san."

This time, however, Mako interrupted her, saying, "Ah, I did that, so don't worry about it."

Yuri raised an eyebrow at this, turning to the gentle girl as she asked, "Didn't you tell me not to contact them, Mako?"

Smiling, Mako replied, "Ah, yeah. But today's the last day, so..."

This time, both Yuri and Hina rested their irritated gazes on Mako before glancing away. It was difficult, after all, to hold a grudge against the girl. Before they could say anything further, they heard the school doors swing open.

Turning, they found Tomoko and Yoshida approaching them. Their release was met with a cheer.

***Chapter 6: Good End***

A/N: Oorah! A new chapter of WataMote's out! Frankly, I'm glad it came sooner rather than later; could you imagine if I wrote this chapter and then they released another one that soundly declared everything in this non-canon? I guess I'm lucky that they haven't released anything majorly relevant to this story since I began it in such a way I have to fix anything, but now I'm concerned. What would I do if the next chapter of WataMote didn't come out before the next chapter of this, and then THAT made everything in this *laughably* wrong? I shudder to think! Anyway, thank you everyone for checking out my fic-I'll see you next chapter!


	7. Chapter 7: We Must Move Forward

It's Not My Fault We're Together!

Chapter 7: We Must Move Forward (But Not Apart)

"Heheheheh..." Kuroki giggled awkwardly as she rubbed the back of her head. A sheepish grin formed on her face as she said, "S-sorry for causing everyone so much trouble..."

Yuri nodded quietly, offering a rare, small smile before stepping aside to allow others to welcome her back. Her heart tightened just a bit as Hina stepped forward to offer her greetings, and Yuri couldn't help but let out a sigh as she acknowledged that there likely wouldn't be a chance to say sorry to the girl today. She would be forced to spend the next several days in a writhing, uncertain limbo from which there was but small chance of returning, forced to remember and re-remember the mistakes which had led her to this point, incapable of changing them regardless of how she-

"Let's stop somewhere on the way back!"

Glancing up, Yuri realized that the group had begun to migrate away while she was lost in thought. Hina, smiling brightly as usual, appeared to have made the suggestion, and Kuroki nodded in reply, offering a small "Uh, sure."

Yuri perked up, realizing that this turn of events might offer her a chance to apologize to Hina. All she had to do was find a quiet moment, pull the girl to the side, and offer her apology. Now she just had to figure out what to say, where to pull her aside, how to-

Yuri's thoughts ground to a halt as she noticed Mako waiting expectantly next to her, a bright smile on the kind girl's face. Her words to the introvert about caring for herself floated to the surface of Yuri's mind and she paused for a deep breath. Mako was right; Yuri needed to take care of herself and enjoy what was happening rather than get hung up on how to force the situation to her advantage. Realizing that she had been alternating between sighing her lungs out and holding her breath for long moments, Yuri let out a small "Phew". Glancing to the others and noticing that they had paused to speak with Uchi and play with a small dog, the introvert followed the group as they wandered off to wherever it was they were all going.

...

Yuri walked behind Hina and Kuroki, reflecting on what had happened over the last few days as the two discussed the suspension.

When Kuroki had first been suspended, Yuri was understandably concerned; after all, in spite of (or perhaps due to) the girl's awkwardness, Kuroki was the keystone to the delicate balance of relationships and communication between everyone. Simply by being there, she had drawn together the popular kids, the loners, and even-she cast a glance at Yoshida and the two girls that had come to meet her-even the delinquents. Without her, no one would ever have become friends.

But...

Wait...

That wasn't right.

Yes, Kuroki had been the link, the _opportunity_ to meet, but she wasn't the _reason_. No one had become friends _because_ of Kuroki; they had become friends because they _wanted_ to. Glancing at Mako, Yuri reminded herself that she and the kind girl were friends because they liked one another and-to a lesser extent-understood each other. Shifting her gaze to Hina, the introvert realized the same was true between them.

Yuri jolted at this realization. It was true, wasn't it...? She and Hina were friends because they took an interest in one another. They started to develop an understanding and an affection for one another because they _liked one another_, not because Kuroki wanted them to. They became friends when Kuroki was gone.

When Kuroki wasn't there... Hina was.

Yuri realized that Hina was there to help her smile, that while Kuroki was gone, Hina kept her from feeling too alone. Mako was there, yes, but Hina was with her as well. And in those few days they truly spoke, Yuri had started to develop a... feeling, perhaps? A sense of longing? A desire to stay with Hina for as long as the energetic girl would allow her to remain.

But Yuri had messed that up, all with one stupid mistake. It wasn't even a big one... but it still hurt Hina. Yuri still needed her, but the pink-haired girl had left because Yuri had done something so small. By now, Hina probably thought of her as more than 'just an acquaintance', so of course it had to hurt; seeing Hina ignore her all day was proof enough of that. Yuri wanted to move forward with Hina, but she wanted to move forward together, not apart.

The introvert paused to study the people that constituted their oddball band. Was it the same for everyone else? Everyone wasn't here _because_ of Kuroki; they were here _for_ Kuroki. It was a _choice_ they had made, one they could have turned down. Glancing at Uchi, Yuri considered that the girl was here because she wanted to be here for Kuroki. The nondescript girl had come to see Kuroki, because-though Yuri didn't understand why-Uchi seemed to legitimately care for the girl. She was under no compulsion to appear, yet she did.

Akane was here because Hina wanted to be here. She was a friend of Hina's not because of Kuroki's intervention but instead because Akane had always liked Hina. They were friends because both wanted to be. Asuka seemed to be getting along with Hina as well, and that wasn't because of Kuroki; that was because both seemed to like each other, not because Kuroki had ordained it. Yoshida was here with her friends, and they were together long before now-really, Yuri reflected, _she_ was in a situation where she could become friends with Yoshida partially because of Kuroki, but when they were in that position, Yuri and Yoshida _themselves_ had made the choice to be interested in one another. No one had forced them, and no one could.

All of them, _everyone_, were friends because they had chosen to be friends. They, themselves, had made that choice. They, themselves, _could_ make that choice.

Yuri almost chuckled to herself; that was the first time in days she had been able to truly follow her long, meandering train of thought to the end of its line around everyone without being interrupted.

***Chapter 7: Good End***


	8. Chapter 8: To Be Beside You

It's Not My Fault We're Together!

Chapter 8: To Be Beside You (I Must Stand by Others)

A/N: Y'know, I wasn't really sure how to follow up the previous chapter in a way that felt... "natural", I guess? I don't want to lean on the manga too hard-and I think this will be the last chapter I do so more than incidentally-but I also don't want to just miss a big bit or make it so that this story is COMPLETELY incomprehensible to someone who's missed a chapter or two. This is the result.

...

"There's two tables open here." Hina said. "We'll go get our orders so you guys save us spots."

The group nodded in agreement as they began to take seats, Kuroki taking a chair positioned between both tables. Watching Uchi take a seat next to her, Yuri considered where she should place herself; for a moment, she considered seating herself beside Kuroki as the plain-faced girl had done before deciding that everyone else was probably just as excited to talk with the introvert as she herself was. This in mind, she hung back, watching as Asuka asked the two about their drink orders.

Mako glanced at Yuri as she noticed that the girl was standing aloof from the crowd and asked, "Yuri, do you wanna sit by Kuroki-san?"

"I'm fine." She replied. Turning once more to the table, she noticed that a chair at the second table's back was to Kuroki. Anyone who sat in it wouldn't be sitting next to Kuroki, per se, but they would certainly be sitting near her.

Well, it was a bit self indulgent, but...

...

"So, how'd your week of suspension go?" Anna asked, slouching in her chair as she turned to Yoshida.

The delinquent lifted her drink as she answered, "Meh, nothing special. Just did a bunch of worksheets."

Yuri watched the trio of toughs with interest. Although she had only seen them together a few times, she could tell there was a certain... openness between them. They spoke in insults, swore at one another, were unbearably rude together, and yet... there was a clear camaraderie between them. They seemed to be true friends.

Starting, Yuri realized that she wasn't sure if she had that with anyone herself. Mako was kind and giving, but... in a way, there was a _distance_ between them. Mako cared and always tried to understand, she was kind and giving, but... sometimes, Yuri felt like she couldn't be her worst self around Mako. Or perhaps she couldn't be herself around Mako because she was the worst. Yuri wasn't quite sure.

"Have some."

Yuri glanced up as one of Yoshida's friends pushed a basket of Takoyaki in front of Mako. The kind girl offered a small smile and a nod as she thanked the delinquent for the food and introduced herself and Yuri. The introvert sat back and watched, occasionally nabbing a Takoyaki or two.

A buzz in her pocket announced Yuri had received a message, and for a moment she considered ignoring it. However, she eventually resolved to look, fearing that it might be important. Thus, she discreetly took it from her pocket and glanced down.

HINA: Hey, can we talk when everyone's done here?

Yuri blinked in surprise before glancing over her shoulder at Hina. The pink haired girl was talking with Asuka now, likely having done the same thing. Considering whether or not to respond, Yuri brushed the thought aside. For now, it would be best to focus on Kuroki.

As she considered this, the introvert found a bucket of fries being pushed towards her. Glancing first at the bucket and then up, she saw Anna smiling at her.

"Do you want some?"

Surprised at being noticed, Yuri accepted a few fries from the sleepy-looking girl. As she ate, however, she couldn't help but notice Anna staring at her with a small, knowing smile on her face. Just as she decided to ignore it, however, Anna asked, "So, who was it?"

Yuri blinked, taken aback by the question. As she opened her mouth to ask for clarification, however, the delinquent's smile broadened and said, "You haven't done much checking your phone while the teach's talking, right?" Pausing for a small chuckle, she added, "It's pretty obvious to anyone who does."

Nodding in understanding, Yuri self-consciously ran her hand over the pocket she had put the phone in as she replied, "It's just a... friend, who wanted to meet up after this."

"Boyfriend?" Anna asked, Her grin stretching a few inches wider.

Yuri blinked once more in surprise, blindsided by the unexpected question. Shaking her head, she answered, "No, just a friend." Unsure of how far to elaborate but feeling the need to avoid further questions, Yuri added, "I've kinda been fighting with her lately... I kinda have a habit of pushing people. She's ready to talk, but..." The introvert quietly cursed herself, realizing too late she had said too much. There was something disarming about the sleepy delinquent, and in front of her, Yuri couldn't help but loosen her tongue.

"Girlfriend, huh?" Anna said, her smile turning suggestive. "So. Are you ready to talk?"

Deciding to ignore the jab, Yuri considered Anna's question. If she had been asked a few hours prior, she would've said no. She didn't understand why Hina was mad then and even if she had, she wouldn't have known how to respond. But since then, she had talked to Mako and tried to understand how Hina felt. Yuri had spent the time to understand.

Yuri offered a small nod.

With a small thumbs-up, Anna said, "Good to hear-or see, I guess. It's nice to hear about things working out with people." As her smile returning to a small, relaxed line, she added, "It's one of my favorite things, really."

Yuri gave a small smile in response.

...

Yuri gnawed on a fry, considering what she had said to Anna. While it was true that she was _emotionally_ ready to speak with Hina, she had no idea what she would actually say to the girl; their being 'proper' friends was fairly new and she wasn't sure what the dynamic between them was yet.

The introvert glanced over her shoulder, half-listening to Hina as she related some story about Akane.

As Yuri sat and listened, Kuroki glanced over her shoulder and took note of the introvert gazing in her direction. Each noticing the other, the two girls shifted in their seats to more comfortably face one another.

A moment of silence passed before Kuroki finally offered a smile and said, "Tamu-" She paused, shaking her head just slightly as if thinking better of her statement before instead asking, "Y-Yuri-chan, how was your week?"

Yuri blinked, surprised that Kuroki had remembered to use her first name this time. She supposed that even a moron like Kuroki could learn.

Rather than saying any of this, however, Yuri merely said, "That's my line. I sent you a message, but you never responded."

Kuroki's smile turned to a chagrined grimace as she answered, "W-well, all you sent was 'So?' How was I supposed to respond to that?"

Shaking her head as a small smile took shape on her face, Yuri changed the subject, saying, "I was waiting for you. You and Yoshida-san both."

"Huh?" Kuroki said, unsure of how to reply. After a moment, she simply said, "I-I see..."

She paused, glancing at the ground as a light blush formed across her cheeks. Finally, she turned once to more to Yuri and said, "W-well, I'm back. Hehe."

Yuri's smile took full shape as she replied, "Welcome back."

The words hung in the air for a moment before she quickly turned around, unceremoniously bringing the short conversation to a close. The introvert reflected that if even a blundersome idiot like Kuroki could care, she herself certainly could.

Reaching for fries as she considered this, Yuri found herself grasping at empty air. Anna, who was doing the same thing beside her, said, "Huh, we're all out?"

With a small smile, Yuri answered, "I ate a bunch, so I'll get us some more."

Anna offered a small appreciative wave, saying, "Thanks." as the introvert rose.

Turning to Yuri with a good-natured smile, Mako asked, "Should I go instead, Yuri?"

"Nah," Yuri said with a small shake of her head, thinking to herself that tonight had gone surprisingly well.

As she walked away, however, she couldn't help but notice Anna send her a small thumbs-up.

***Chapter 8: Good End***


	9. Chapter 9: I Don't Know if I Can Speak

It's Not My Fault We're Together!

Chapter 9: I Don't Know if I Can Speak (But Still I Try)

"So," Anna whispered to Yuri as their group left the venue, "You and that Kuroki girl, huh...?"

Yuri shook her head, a small headache begin to take shape at the girl's insinuations. "First of all," she began, "the text wasn't from Kuroki. Nothing is going on between us... not like that, anyway. And second, the person I _did_ get the text from and I aren't dating."

Waving her hand with a small smile, Anna replied, "Suuure, whatever you say... whateeever you say."

Yuri decided to ignore the girl, offering a small eye roll instead of a response.

After a few minutes of travel filled with light chatter and laughter, the group came to a stop before the train station. Collectively taking a deep breath, satisfied with the night they had spent together, the group entered and began to split up into smaller pods as they waited for their trains.

Which left Yuri and Hina standing together, separate from the rest.

A silence settled over the pair, neither uncomfortable nor relaxed; instead, it was tense, as though their unspoken need to communicate was pushing against the very air between them. No one else seemed to notice, however, happily talking amongst themselves as they awaited their trains.

Yuri took a sidelong glance at Hina, uncertain of whether or not the usually bright girl was angry. Ordinarily she would just speak her mind, influenced by Kuroki to be unashamed of herself or her words; now, however, Hina kept her thoughts to herself, either unwilling or unable to say anything.

...

Yuri and Hina boarded their train, waving and offering their goodbyes as well as congratulations to Kuroki and Yoshida as they entered. Once the doors slid shut, however, the pair silently walked deeper into the train and found a pair of open seats. An uncertain moment passed before they finally sat beside one another, the air thickening as they bumped shoulders. Each jolted in place, quickly glancing away as their faces turned a bright red.

_I can already tell this will be a long ride_, Yuri reflected.

...

Yuri sighed as she glanced at her shoulder... and the head full of pink hair currently resting upon it, its owner asleep and dead to the world. _How did we end up like this?_ She wondered.

The introvert raised her hand, reaching over to poke Hina awake. Just as she neared the sleeping girl's cheek, however, she paused. For a moment, Yuri sat motionless, indecisive. As she wavered, unsure of what to do, Yuri blinked in surprise as Hina mumbled a small, contented _hmm_ in her sleep.

With another sigh, Yuri instead lifted her hand another few inches and ran her fingers through the sleeping girl's hair. As Hina began to hum in further appreciation, Yuri decided to allow the girl a bit of rest-at least until they reached their station.

...

"Yuri... Yuuuriii..."

The introvert jolted awake at the sound of her name, surprised and embarrassed that she herself had fallen asleep in the compromising position she found herself in. Recalling that position, she shifted her gaze down to her shoulder.

Hina smiled, smushing her cheek just slightly against Yuri's shoulder. "Our station's coming up." The bright girl said. "I didn't want to wake you because you looked so peaceful, but I figured you'd have to get up soon; otherwise, we'd be stuck on the train all night, y'know?"

Yuri blinked, frozen in place as stared back at Hina, unable to process the fact that she had a) most likely fallen asleep with her fingers in Hina's hair, b) Hina wasn't getting mad or flustered or anything at that, and c) Hina was **still resting her head on Yuri's shoulder**. She tried to say something, anything, but found her faculties shut down from entirely too much stimulation.

"What's wrong?" Hina asked, her expression shifting to concern as she buried her face deeper into Yuri's shoulder. For a moment, neither said anything as they gazed at one another; however, the moment passed quickly and Hina realized what exactly she was doing. Instantly, she pulled away as both of their faces turned red. Another moment passed as they said nothing, each deliberately looking anywhere but at the other.

Finally deciding she found the silence intolerable, Hina muttered, "...I'm sorry..."

A beat of awkward silence passed before Yuri replied, equally quietly, "I didn't mind it..."

Hina blinked, unsure if she had heard the introvert correctly. "What?" The bright girl asked.

Pausing for a small gulp of air, Yuri clarified, "I didn't mind... you resting your head on my shoulder..."

Glancing at the introvert before just as quickly glancing away, Hina mumbled, "Oh... okay..."

...

Yuri and Hina stepped off the train and into the station crowd, weaving their way through the dense mob on their way to the exit. As they reached a break in the mass, Yuri began to speak before Hina quickly turned around and pressed a finger against her lips. "Sorry," the bright girl said, "But can we wait until we're out of here? I want to be able to speak with you properly, so I'd to wait until we're alone to talk, alright?"

Nodding, Yuri trailed after Hina as she led them out of the station and into the streets, waiting until they had passed through several blocks before turning to face her introverted friend.

"Here seems like a good place to talk," she said, a melancholy smile settling on to her face.

Yuri nodded, prepared for whatever Hina had to say.

Accepting the nod, Hina wavered in place, her smile shifting from melancholy to sheepish to embarrassed before finally returning to its ordinary bold, happy state. "I guess I should start," the bright girl said, "by saying sorry." Her expression shifting once more to a frown as she continued, saying, "I way overreacted earlier today. I felt like you were... rejecting me, I guess, and that really made me... sad. I just don't want you to reject me, Yuri... I don't really know why, but I couldn't stand it if you hated me..." Hina blinked, and Yuri could swear that, for just a moment, she saw a tear in the ordinarily cheerful girl's eye. "It's weird, right? We only just became real friends, but already I could never stand it if you hated me..."

Yuri shook her head as stepped forward, replying, "I told you along time ago, didn't I? I don't hate you. I could never hate you... certainly not now that we're friends, right?" She paused bow her head before adding, "And I'm sorry, too. I didn't consider your feelings and spoke foolishly, so I hurt you. I hurt a friend of mine yet again..." She began to grimace as she concluded, "I have a habit of doing that... Hina."

Smiling, Hina reached over and took hold of Yuri's hand, a small blush beginning to color the energetic girl's cheeks as she replied, "Well, it's better now, right? Because you never tried to hurt me, and we'll try not to hurt each other again, right?"

Nodding once more, Yuri answered, "Right."

...

"Bye!" Hina called as she waved, beginning her short walk home. "See you in school tomorrow!"

Waving back, Yuri answered, "Of course! Goodnight!"

Turning on her heel to head to her own home, Yuri reflected on how the night went, both pleased and surprised by Hina's response. As she did so, she felt a buzzing in her pocket. She pulled her phone out, glancing to find a line message waiting for her.

ANNA: So how'd it go~?

Yuri decided that there was only thing she could say to fully sum up how she felt in that moment. So, after taking a moment to write out and then review her reply, she sent her answer.

YURI: How did you get this number?

***Part 1: Good End***

A/N: So that was part one! I might take a small break from this fic for now. I just hit a pretty big transition, and I'm still trying to figure out how my fic-writing fits into it all. I'll try not to stay away for too long, but I also hope this was satisfying for the time being.


End file.
